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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Periods and Hip Pain

Having suffered this symptom for years without anyone understanding, this article jumped right out at me! Years ago I would complain of this pain to my doctor, who would just prescribe pain medication. There is a certain peace of mind in knowing why this pain was happening (a worried mind can play nasty tricks) and that there are alternatives to just pill-popping. Anyway, here's the article

The Endometriosis Hip Joint Pain Link

Although not one of the more commonly known symptoms ofendometriosis, hip joint pain can be a real problem for somesufferers.

An estimated 5-10% of the female population lives withendometriosis, causing them great inconvenience and disruptionsin their day to day lives. The fact that endometriosis effectingthe hips and your ability to walk is not widely known means thatmany women don't make the connection between the two.

Although some women who have endometriosis may not feel itseffects, the disease can manifest with various signs andsymptoms — hip joint pain being one of them.

Hip joint pain can be associated with the other symptoms thataccompany endometriosis, such as pain in the pelvic area,increased discomfort during menstruation, constipation,dysmenorrhea, diarrhea, pain while urinating, pain while havingsex, fatigue, lower back pain and more.

Those with more serious occurrences of endometriosis may evenbecome infertile. Because of these serious life-disruptingsymptoms, endometriosis is considered to be a very seriousmatter in women's reproductive health.

Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to the endometrium, athin tissue lining of the uterus, appear outside the uterus andattach themselves to neighboring organs in the abdomen,including hip tendons.

Inline with the endometrium in the uterus these cells grow andare shed each month. However, unlike the uterus, the menstrualblood and tissue has no escape, causing inflammation, scarringand over time adhesions form.

Adhesions are web-like structures made up of scar tissue thatbind internal organs and ligaments together. These stretch andpull causing pain.

Hip joint pain caused by endometriosis is usually becauseendometrial tissues have attached themselves to the sciaticnerve, the hip ligaments or are present in the lower pelvicregion. This type of hip pain normally worsens duringmenstruation and improves during the rest of the month. For somewomen it can cause limping or may even effect their ability towalk altogether.

The actual cause of the disease is still not entirely known.Early theories about the cause of endometriosis suggested thatthe misplacing of endometrial cells occurred when women hadretrograde menstruation. This is where menstrual blood goesinward to pelvic organs instead of being flushed out of theuterus. However, this is largely disproved since most womenexperience retrograde menstruation but not all of them go ontodevelop endometriosis.

Recent studies about the disease revealed that endometriosismay result from an immune response exhibited towards the spreadof endometrial cells. Furthermore, studies also shown a geneticlink with the disease and thus heredity could be a significantfactor. Unfortunately these studies have still not come up witha definite answer to what causes endometriosis. More studies arebeing conducted about this now.

The degree of endometriosis varies greatly among women, and sothe treatment also differs quite extensively. When choosing atreatment option, there are a number of considerations to bearin mind.

A number of the medical treatments available are hormonal innature and repress the production of estrogen in the body. Thisgenerally improves symptoms but means you will be unable toconceive due to ovulation stopping.

For mild endometriosis symptoms you can take painkillers andanti-inflammatories which are available either asover-the-counter medicines or prescription pain relievers.

Some women opt for conservative surgery. This primarilyinvolves the removal and destruction of endometriosis implantsand adhesions. This can also help eliminate the hip joint paincaused by the disease. Surgeries are usually done using alaparoscope for minimal invasion, but more serious treatmentsmight require larger incisions.

If you're interested in discovering natural ways to combatendometriosis symptoms, keep reading to sign up to our freeEndometriosis newsletter below.

Endometriosis hip joint pain can interfere with your life quitedramatically each month. If you think you have the signs of thedisease, you should immediately consult your doctor. Otherwise,it is best to regularly check with your OB/GYN to maintain goodreproductive health.

About The Author: Sign up for Shelley Ross' free Endometriosisnewsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to helpyou discover more about endometriosis hip joint pain athttp://www.treatendometriosis.com?source=is